The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-13
CANDLE-MAKING INDUSTRY
Amazing Figures Concerning the Num-
Der of Cand11os Burned in Colorado.
The UnriJaled Opportunity Afforded for Es-
tablishing a Richly Paying Business in
Denyer-What Can Be Done There.
Special Correspondence.

vou as to how the thousands of miners, working
lay and night in the deep honey combines of the
mountains, whether in search of gold or silver.
,r iron coal. obtained light to work With" was
The question suddenly sprung upon your CORE
spondent by an old-timer.
was constrained. as true tenderfoot should
ever be. to admit my ignorance that impor
tant subject, and modestly to confess that in the
great variety Of topics which my mind
countered daily, that was one which Lad not
caused the strings of thought to vibrate in re-
Spouse to the touch of curiosity on my part.
] replied, to the effect, however, that from
childhood 1 had always been instructed
TO believe that candles played important part
in lighting the miner on his dim and perilous
way" In the earth's bowels. and didn't know
that any great revolution had taken place in the
luminary invention line with reference to min
ing. which had hurled the festive fatty cylinder
into obscurity. i had supposed. from the sud
denness of the query and the somewhat mysteri-
Gus air which my questioner assumed, that ONE
very startling novely in the direction desert bed,
and of which had not heard, was in prac teal
application, and experienced a good deal of
raw, innocent sensation when. in o very gngerly
kind OF way, 1 referred to my knowledge of
candle-light
My interrogator perceived your correspond
ents mixed mental condition. and very consider
ately FASTENED TO explain that he had propounded
the conundrum in a moment of enthusiastic
zeal with view of paving the way towards
affordng me some information. He admitted
that lit was candles" which formed the base of
inquiry of his riddle. as well of the solution
of the problem declared that candles
right" and that he should have asked me if
knew where they came from. He apoogized
for startling me, and then gave me some in
formation of rather Interesting character
relative to the Importance OF the wicked article
In question, the great part 1t plays hereabouts
to where it comes from. and the wonder that
somebody does not go into the making OF it,
right here, in the center of the country wherein
it IS in unceasing and tremendous requisition.
THE little candle throws his beams and
lightens the almost tangible darkness in thou
sands of mines in this boundlsss far West
wherever delivers after the treasures in the"
earths recesses are to be encountered, in Colora-
do Utah. Mexico, New Mexico Arizona, Idaho,
Oregon and other regions besides. He throws
his beams wherever, in domestic use, kerosene
does not usurp his old-time privilege in the
home of the miner, we'll In the grussome
tunnels underground. Candle is king in many
countenance, it would be indeed difficult for man
to hunt for subterranean wealth. il not impossi-
BILE. Rectifed grease and erectifed cotton
are thus oleaginous monarchs composites and
for common subjects working in unison for .
common purpose, that of furnishing light to
aid man in honest deeds Of darkness are indeed
mans friends. My friend informed me that. last
year, no less than thirty three carloads of what
are called miners candles" were brought from
the East and were consigned to Denver
firms alone. Thirty three carloads at 90, 900
pounds per car-load-of course. including light
boxes in which the candles packed-would
roach 660, 900 pounds or nearly $50 tons. just
think of that figure and this to Denver
alone, for distribution, independent of other de-
barking places in Colorado 1t is estimated that
about $50 tons of candles are brought to Col
orado annually. Does not this make the little
candle" assume gigantic proportions in your
estimationf
There soap factories, but. singular to re-
late. not candle factory in spite of the demand,
in this region. and Eastern makers enjoy the
great profits arising from their manufacture and
shipment hither It is the more singular in that
while the expense of frstclass plant for
establishments is not what may be called out of
the way. the profits-if the concern be carried
on a proper basis with regard to the applca-
ton of chemistry, which subserves the economy
of conducting the business, and is the FONDA
ton of the source of proft-are very great In
deed, and sufficiently so. one would imagine. to
cause two or three capitalists to gather together
and fill the gap existing in the ranks of manu-
fac:urers, as well fill their wallets. Even il
the freight charges be given the consumer
dealer, the profits would still be enormous
This section of the country 10 acknowledged to
be the greatest tallow producing region outside
of South America, therefore an unlimited
amount of animal fats are procurable and of a
quality, so far cleanliness Is concerned alone,
of far superior grade to the eastern article.
Grounds for the establishment OF such q factory
obtainable at most reasonable prices and in
situations in every way convenient for shipping
facilities, and unlimited supplies of pure water
are obtainable either from the water-works sys-
tenn or by the sinking Of an artesan well. which
latter can be done at very nominal expense on
eligible sites along the banks of the Platte river
the lines of the railroads. In close contiguity
to the cotton producing States and in init
mate commercial relationship with them
Denver will be very soon by the opening of the
Denver Texas & Gulf railway, the article re-
quired for wicking will be at her very threshold,
while she will be enabled to obtain from the In
dian Territory and northeastern Texas a supply
of wood out OF which to manufacture boxes re-
quired for the packing of the candles. As init
mated above, not only would Colorados demand
have to be met. but those also of Utah. Arizona.
Ma sA~ NAwv IAah and vnt1n
the trade would be carried for other products of
the establishment into. not only those regions,
but into the Indian Territory. Texas and the
contiguous area OF southern country. There Is
very little doubt but that favorable railroad
rates would be accorded aud enable the Colorado
manufacturers to come into fair competition
with the Eastern maker.
Every soap and candle manufacturer knows
well that chemistry plays one of the most i'm
portant parts in carrying on either business sue
cessfully and economically; that all ordinary
fats OF commerce, chemically speaking,
'salts" of which eycerine Is the base: that every
chemical constituent of these fats from the
membrahous and muscular parts to the acids,
stearic, oleic, formic, etc, can by proper treat
ment be successfully separated and each other
become in turn useful in the factory as ele-
ments of chemistry or given commercial value,
and sold at vast profit. No one, of course. would
for q moment think of embarking in the business
without due regard to the invaluable connection
in carrying it on of chemistry. on the sagacious
application of which, rs said above depends the
most important feature of the enterprise, profit
There is an evsr-rsady and open market here
Tor every product OF such factory, including
acids. glycerine, any of the products down to
the "scraps'-the remains of the cellular tissue,
DR. membranous and muscular parts of the fats
treated, which escape total humiliation during
the processes to which the latter are subjected
oy the use OF acids, alkalis pressure, etc. The
demand Cor scraps for chicken feed would
stiffeE" that article in price and it alone would
furnish a little revenue to q concern carried on |
on an extensive scale.
But one factory would, if it turned out prime
goods, and there 10 earthly reason why it |
should not be incapable OF meeting the demand |
unless ir should be established on q very gigan-
tic scale To supply $50 tons Of candles would |
require the establishments of a factory OF as
dimensions ana capacity, and such an |
81 terprise is not TO be thought of, but one on a
moderate scale would afford a beginning but |
that beginning would lead to the encouragement
Of other capitalists who would embark in the
and it would not be long before the
E,a starn manufacturers would find that their &C.